Apparatus for knead pulping



y 1956 H- E. BOWERS 2,745,321

APPARATUS FOR KNEAD PULPING Filed Jan. 19, 1954 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.2

INVENTOR.

HAROLD E, BOWERS ATTORNEYS May 15, 1956 H. E. BOWERS Filed Jan. 19, 1954 APPARATUS FOR KNEAD PULPING heets-Sheet 2 FIG-5 HAROLD E. BOWERS ATTORNEYS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR KNEAD PULPING Harold E. Bowers, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Cornmonwealth Engineering Company of Ohio, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 19, 1954, Serial No. 404,841

2 Claims. (Cl. 92-20) This invention relates to kneading apparatus and specifically to the manufacture of wood pulp and is more particularly directed to the provision of means and methods for the formation of pulp from material which has hitherto been regarded as waste.

The usual ground wood processes do not utilize very small, irregular chip forms and it is a primary object of this invention to provide a process which conveniently permits of the fiberizing of such particles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus which is capable of exerting a kneading action, which kneading action is not dependent for its efiiciency upon physical or grinding contact of the material to be kneaded with the mechanism of the apparatus.

It is a particular object of the invention toprovide apparatus which is capable of exerting a kneading action on fiber bearing materials such as wood chips to attain the fiberizing of the same.

These and other allied objectives of the invention are attained, generally speaking, by providing a pulping chamber within which the kneading of the wood chips or other material takes place, preferably in the case of wood chips at elevated temperatures. The chamber is of a suitable volume and the configuration or shape of the chamber is alterable to effect the kneading action.

The chamber volume may in the practice of the invention be maintained constant throughout the entire kneading action; alternatively the chamber volume may be altered in the course of the configuration change to accentuate the kneading.

The invention, will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a schematic view, partially in section, of apparatus useful in the practice of the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are schematic views, partially in section, illustrating positions of portions of the apparatus of Figure l in the course of the operation thereof;

Figure 5 is a View of a further embodiment of the invention;

Figures 6 and 7 are views illustrating the face contour of portions of the apparatus of invention; and

Figure 8 is a schematic view of an electrical circuit useful in the practice of the invention.

Referring first to Figures 14, inclusive, there is shown at 1 in Figure l a hopper feed arrangement in which steamed-wetted chips 2 consisting of approximately 50% by weight of Water are provided for passage to a screw feed mechanism 3. The feed mechanism is driven by a motor and gear arrangement indicated at 5, 7 and the screw is housed within a closure 9, the material being fed between the closure and screw proper. A steam jacket 11 having an entry port 13 and an exit port 15 is provided about the closure 9 and serves to provide heat to the chips as they are forced into chamber 17 by the screw.

lee

Chamber 17 is itself defined by a long tubular stainless steel barrel 19 which houses a pair of rotatable elements 21, 23 the opposed beveled faces of which constitute two walls of the chamber. Rotatable element 21 shown at the left in Figure l is provided with a shaft 25 adapted to be driven in rotation by a motor 27 having associated therewith a gear box 26 and gearing 28; similarly, element 23 is provided withshaft 29 adapted to be driven by a separate motor 31 having associated therewith gear box 30 and gearing 32. Bearings 24 insertably mounted in cross members 22 of the cylinder 19 support the elements 25 and 29 and provide for rotation thereof.

A steam jacket arrangement 33 having an inlet port 16 and an outlet port 14 surrounds the stainless steel tube 19 at the elements 21, 23 the jacket and tube being cut out to provide a port for the entry of the chip mass to the chamber 17 and the tube also being cut out at 34- (Figure 2) to provide for a conduit 35 in the lower portion of the stainless steel tube 19. This port and conduit as shown in Figures 1 and 3 are adapted to be completely covered by the element 21 (Figure l) and are adapted to be uncovered by rotation of the element 21 as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4.

Conduit 35 communicates with a pulp storage chamber 37 which may be in any convenient form and may be adapted to permit water drainage; the apparatus is so constructed and arranged that wood chips from the hopper 1 may flow continuously through the apparatus during the pulping operation to the pulp storage.

in the operation of the apparatus of Figure l shaft 25 and element 21 are rotated relatively slowly, that is at about 50-75 F. M., while the shaft 29 and element 23 are rotated more rapidly, that is at about 400-800 R. P. M. Accordingly as will be noted more clearly from Figures 3 17 changes continuously exerting a kneading action on the material contained therein.

Thus referring to Figure 3 it will be noted that at one stage of rotation of the elements 21, 23 the cross-section is that of a parallelogram, while in Figure 4 the chamber cross-section is trapezoidal. It is to be under stood that the conditions of Figures 3 and 4 may be attained either by rotation of the elements at varying speeds or by maintaining element 21 stationary.

Further, since the element 21 will constantly cover and uncover the port 34 the rate of flow of material to the chamber 37 is governed primarily by the rate of rotation of the element 21 and any given time of kneading required for a particular type or chip configuration may be attained simply by altering the rate of rotation of the element 21.

The time of kneading is dependent not only upon the rotational speeds of the elements 21 and 23 but also upon the temperature and may be reduced to as low as about 1-2 minutes when the temperature within the chamber 17 is maintained at about 300 F. Such high temperature however is not necessary to the practice of the invention, nor is it necessary that both the elements 21 and 23 rotate, but such action is preferable to avoid stagnant spots within the chamber 17.

When the element 21 is not rotated its stationary posiment 23 rather than the element 21 is also Within the contemplation of the invention.

and 4 the configuration of the chamber.

' to those of Figure lare the same but primed.

noid actuated valve casing39, solenoid 41 and a spring 43 which is. adaptedupon'actuation of the solenoid to move shafting 44 and the pistons 46, 48 leftwardly as shown iri'the drawing. The valve'casing 39 has con nected theretoconduits 45, 47 which communicate with a reciprocating"non differential fiuid'motor 49 having piston 51.- Y

The opposite sides 'of 'the' valve'casing 39 are provided with conduits 53, 55, 57; conduit 55 is connected to a pump which is driven continuously by a motor (not shown) to force hydraulic fluid continuously up through conduit 55 to valve casing 39. Each of the conduits 53, 57 communicate with a reservoir (not shown) with which the pump driven by the motor is also communicable, the same'not being set out more particularly as such arrangementsa're standard to the practice. Also conduit 55 is bi 'p'assed by a pressure relief valve 56 to suitably protect the equipment.

Shaft 25' is' provided with a longitudinal integral gearing 59 which meshes with pinion 61 driven through gear box 63 by motor 65. A collar 67 carried by shaft 25' is adapted to contact switch 69 in the leftward movement of the shaft to cause energization of the solenoid 41. Leftward movement of the shaft 44 against the pressure of the spring 43 to directly connect the conduit 55 through the ca sihg 39 to the conduit 47 supplies fluid pressure to the' lefthand end of fluid motor 49. Accordingly once switch 69 has been closed it remains closed while the shaft 25 is driven rightwardly as shown in Figure 5, the gears 59, 61 being relatively rcctilineally movable.

Shaft 25' also carries a collar 71 which is engageable with a switch 73 to cause de-encrgization of the solenoid 41; thus the rightward movement of the element 21 is limited and upon'the de-energization of solenoid 41 the spring 43 causes the shaft 44 and pistons 48,46 to be moved rightwardl'y to the position shown in Figure to permit hydraulic fluid to flow through line 45 at the right hand end of motor 49, thus driving the motor piston again to the leftward position shown in Figure 5. I

It isto benoted in connection with'the latter operation that the conduits 53, 57 are'alternately communicablewith the motor 49 to permit the hydraulic fluid to be expelled therefrom. I

Referring now to Figure 8 there is shown therein a schematic circuit arrangement useful in the practice of the invention. Numeral indicates the shaft and 67" and 71 indicate the collars thereon; 69" and '73 indicate the'switches contacted by collars 67" and71" in the movement of the shaft. When 69" is urged against contacts75, 77 by upward movement of shaft 25" a circuit is'c'ompleted from the line through solenoid 41'. and the switches to the other side of the line. When shaft 25" moves in the opposite direction the circuit is broken'at 73" and holding coil 79 is' de-energized permitting 69" to open also. The switch 73 is spring biased to a normally closed positionand as shaft 25" again moves toward 69", the switch 73" closes and the circuit is'again completed when switch 69 is closed by motion of the shaft. As shown 25" is moving upwardly 73" having just closed after having been opened to break the circuit. 7

The element 23 (Figure .5) has apparatus'associated therewith similar to that described in connection with the left hand side of the figure, and for the sake of clarity similar' parts have been given similar numbers but raised by 100, and since the operations of the right andleft hand sidesare identical, including the reversible motors I 65 and which are independently operable, it is not considered necessary to further describe the arrangement.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7 further embodiments shown inFigure 7 the trailing portion of the surfaceof the face 93 of the element 91 may be convex. It is to be understood that if desired both faces of the elements used in the apparatus'may be so arranged. Such arrangements are particularly useful where the elements themselves are always to rotate in one direction and they facilitate the kneading action.

In connection with the description of each of the figures it is preferable, in order to avoid contamination" of wood pulp, to have all partswhich come in contact with the pulp chromium plated. This prevents any slight discoloration of thefibrous material produced. I

In the practice of the method of inventionthe equip ment when operated as described continuously changes the configuration of the chamber housing and its contents. This change in configuration exerts a kneading effect on the material which kneading effect may be acccntuated by change in volume of the equipment (Figure 5) when desired. In general it is'preferable to operate both elements in rotation in order spots in the chamber.

It is preferable also to provide only one outlet port in the chamber in order to most adequately control the kneading action, but if desired it is to be understood that a port such as 34in Figure 3 may be provided 'in' conjunction with each element. 7

It is to be noted that the essence of the kneading'action is the provisionofa chamber which is adapted to retain material during change in configuration of the chamber, the material being of such a nature that it to modification in order to adopt it to different'usag'esand conditions and accordingly, it'is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Pulping apparatus comprising an elongatedcylindri- V cal shaped member defining a'kneading' chamber, said chamber having an inlet opening in the side wall thereof for introducing material into said chamber, and an out-- let in the opposite wall for discharge ofmaterial from the chamber, screw means for feeding material to the inlet opening, a pair of cylindrical shaped rotatable elements slidably disposed in said chamber and spaced from each other and arranged at opposite sides of said inlet opening, said rotatable elements being substantially of the same diameter as the inner diameter of said chamber, said rotatable elements having their opposed side faces beveled forming frusto-cylindrical elements for kneading pulp,'means for rotating each of said cylindrical shaped elements independently of the other to effect a continuous change in the shape of the cross-section of said kneading chamber, and means for independently shifting said rotatable elements axially towards and away 'from each other concurrently as said elements are rochamber having an inlet-opening in the side wall thereof 7 for introducing material into said chamber, and an outlet in the opposite wall for discharge of material from to avoid any stagnant the chamber, screw means for feeding material to the inlet opening, a pair of cylindrical shaped rotatable elements slidably disposed in said chamber and spaced from each other and arranged at opposite sides of said inlet opening, said rotatable elements being substantially of the same diameter as the inner diameter of said chamber, said rotatable elements having their opposed side faces beveled forming frusto-cylindrical elements for kneading pulp, means for rotating each of said cylindrical shaped elements independently of the other to efiect a continuous change in the shape of the cross-section of said kneading chamber, and means for independently shifting said rotatable elements axially towards and away from each other concurrently as said elements are rotated, said last mentioned means consisting of a solenoid 15 2,543,307

controlled hydraulic actuating mechanism operatively connected to each of said rotatable elements for shifting the same axially while the same are rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 487,912 Carter Dec. 13, 1892 540,962 Duhrkop June 11, 1895 1,971,335 Benner Aug. 28, 1934 2,072,710 Crane Mar. 2, 1937 2,139,274 Justice Dec. 6, 1938 2,316,982 Wilson Apr. 20, 1943 2,415,091 Frei Feb. 4, 1947 Swallow Feb. 27, 1951 

